Nokia Lumia 1020 - A closer look at the 41MP PureView camera

I of the key reasons why the AT&T Nokia Lumia 1020 is a head turning is the 41MP photographic camera. Simply put, information technology's 1 hell of a camera.

Sure, the iv.five inch AMOLED Screen looks swell, the matte end feels comfy in the mitt and the Glance screen is cool but the centerpiece is definitely the photographic camera.  Information technology takes our Windows Telephone photography to an exciting new level.

To compliment the hardware aspects of the Lumia 1020, Nokia has also developed a Pro Cam app that when combined with the 41MP camera makes the two a formidable pair. Nosotros've shared our full review of the Nokia Lumia 1020 and now we have a little closer look at the camera.

The Hardware

First, permit's lay the foundation on the hardware. The Lumia 1020 is fitted with a 41MP camera that utilizes a back-sided illuminated (BSI) sensor that has optical epitome stabilization (OIS). The lens is the aperture equivalent to a 26 mm lens with a fixed aperture of f/2.2. The camera also has a mechanical shutter which will let for sharper images and help the optical stabilization reduce movement blur.

The Lumia 1020's Zeiss camera lens is composed of six elements with a lens cover and outer protective element. At showtime I was a little concerned about the outer chemical element. It is significantly larger than any other Windows Phone cameras and I feared it would be more susceptible to scratches. Mayhap Nokia shared these concerns and instead of regular drinking glass or plastic, this outer chemical element is Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

Instead of a LED light to double as a wink and auto-focus assist calorie-free, the Lumia 1020 has a Xenon wink and a secondary LED light for video lighting and AF assist. It'due south no clandestine that I don't care for using the LED lights as a flash. While the Xenon's effectiveness is hindered a little due to the size, information technology's tremendously more than effective than a LED light.

As far as mechanics and hardware go, the Lumia 1020 is likely the most advanced smartphone photographic camera on the market. The just disappointment or surface area for improvement is the close-focus abilities of the 1020. Many Windows Phone cameras will let yous focus on an object most half dozen inches away. The 1020 just about doubles that distance.

Granted the "zoom afterward" feature helps make upward for the more than distant minimum focus altitude (more on this later) but it would take been overnice to have seen the 1020's close focusing be... well... closer.

Camera Grip, Yea or Nay?

Admittedly, I was skeptical of the Nokia Camera Grip for the Lumia 1020. I only couldn't help but remember information technology was more of a novelty than a useful accessory for the Lumia 1020.

But I bit the bullet, picked 1 up at the local AT&T Store and oasis't regretted it. When you know you're going to be taking a lot of photos (trip to the zoo, social issue, family vacation, etc.) the grip is a must have accessory.

The grip gives you a more confident handle on the Lumia 1020, the shutter button is a little more responsive than the native button and the added bombardment (1020 mAh) helps your 1020 last through all those photos and videos. Oh...the tripod mount is an added bonus when you lot want to capture panoramas, HDR images, need a lilliputian back up for shooting videos or just want to jump in the picture/video.

If y'all weren't able to become a complimentary camera grip with your Lumia 1020, the $59 price is well worth information technology.

The Software

The Lumia 1020 has your typical Windows Phone camera awarding with a small-scale amount of settings for however and video imaging. The layout is non dissimilar other Windows Phones with settings attainable through the iii-dot menu. Modifications can be saved in place for when you exit and re-launch the photographic camera app. Otherwise the settings revert to the default levels or when last saved.

Nokia Lumia 1020 native Windows Phone camera app settings

Photograph Settings features:

• Scenes: Close-upwards, Night, Night Portrait, Sports, Backlight and Machine.
• ISO: Auto and 100-3200.
• Exposure Value: +two to -2 stops.
• White Balance: Auto, Cloudy, Daylight, Fluorescent, Incandescent.
• Aspect Ratio: 16:ix and 4:iii.
• Focus Assist Light: On or Off.

With the native Windows Phone app you are restricted to the 5MP resolution without the 38MP "loftier quality" version that can be cropped and zoomed.

Video Settings include:

• White Balance: Auto, Cloudy, Daylight, Fluorescent, Incandescent.
• Continuous Focus: On or Off.
• Video Manner: Standard/720p or High Quality/1080p.

At the bottom of the view finder on the native camera app you lot'll detect the customary lenses, flash, forepart photographic camera, and video buttons.

Along with the native Windows Phone camera application, the Nokia has included their Pro Cam app with the Lumia 1020. Currently the Pro Cam app is only bachelor on the Lumia 1020 but it'due south our understanding it should coil out to other Lumia 92x Windows Phones at some point.

The Pro Cam app is similar to third party apps such as Camera360 in that it gives yous more control over your camera controls. With Pro Cam you can run everything on auto or manually set up shutter speed, ISO, white residue, and focus. You as well take full command over the flash and focus light along with exposure compensation settings.

Pro Cam lays it all out nicely with on-screen dials that can exist displayed one setting at a time or y'all call throw them all out at one time.

Nokia Lumia 1020 Pro Cam Settings

While virtually of your settings are accessible through on-screen controls, you too take a collection of settings for photo and video that are accessible through the three-dot menu. With respect to video, Pro Cam offers settings for:

• Framing Grids: Rule of thirds, Gold Ratio, Crosshairs, Square.
• Resolution and Frame Rate: 1080p with frame rates of 30, 25, and 24 frames per 2nd or 720p with frame rates of xxx, 25, and 24 frames per second.
• Audio Bass Filter: Off, Default (100Hz) or Strong (200Hz).

With respect to photograph settings yous have:

• Framing Grids: Rule of thirds, Gilt Ratio, Crosshairs, Square.
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9 or iv:iii.
• Capture Mode: 5MP, 5MP + 38MP or 5MP or 34MP.
• Facial Detection: On or Off.

The 34MP and 38MP options for the capture mode is dependent on the Attribute Ration chosen. sixteen:9 yields the 34MP pick and the 4:3 ration yields the 38MP pick.

Nokia Lumia 1020 Video Trimmer

In improver to all the controls Pro Cam offers, you lot also have the "zoom later" and video trimmer feature. The video trimmer does just what it sounds like, allows y'all to edit the length of the video by adjusting the start or end point of your video. It'due south not a full editing feature just tin come in handy.

While the video trimmer is a nice touch, being more than of a even so photographer, the really impressive characteristic on Pro Cam is the "zoom after" characteristic. This feature lets you capture an image in full resolution so zoom in to your shot after you've taken information technology. You can also rotate, re-frame, crop and share new images as many times as you desire.

Nokia Lumia 1020 Zoom Subsequently

In capturing the epitome at full resolution, you have some wiggle room to crop into a particular portion of the photo and maintain paradigm quality. This feature helps make up for the not-so-close minimum focusing distance of the Lumia 1020. Just keep in listen that there are limitations and if y'all zoom in besides much, you lot'll start to see image quality suffer.

With the "zoom later" feature you tin e'er revisit things if you want to experiment with other crops or go back to the full image. Merely images captured with the Nokia Pro Cam can exist zoomed afterward.

Room for Improvement

Nokia Lumia 1020 Indoor Photo Sample

While Nokia has laid a very prissy foundation with Pro Cam, there is room for improvement.  Don't go u.s.a. wrong.  What's in place is fantastic and nosotros recognize this is version one of Pro Cam and knowing Nokia, improvements are already in the works.

Areas nosotros see that could employ a little fine tuning start with the physical shutter push.  While you can set the physical shutter button to launch the Pro Cam app only from a lock screen, it won't bypass your Pivot number if you've countersign protected your Lumia 1020.  This kinda defeats the quick camera launch feature nosotros all have come to know and honey with our Windows Phones.

Adjacent, Pro Cam needs settings profiles or at least the ability to save your settings. Every bit is, when you lot go out Pro Cam and re-launch, everything (except your wink) is prepare to machine.  It would exist nice to gear up a contour for action photos where your settings include faster shutter speeds or a landscape setting that would include a lower ISO.

Pro Cam does take a few seconds to load and after each shot, there is a noticeable lag time in betwixt shots. The delays are non painful but if you're shooting subjects that aren't cooperative, it can get a little frustrating.  Admittedly the processing is dealing with a rather large image file merely if Nokia could shave just a little time off this, it would exist much appreciated.

Lastly there are a few stability issues present that volition crash the app on occasion. I can live with the slow start-upward time, but it can be irritating when you're about to snap that perfect shot and the app crashes.

It's obvious that Nokia put a lot of thought into Pro Cam to give Lumia 1020 owners an alternative to the native Windows Phone camera app. Nosotros've already seen bracketing added with the showtime update to Pro Cam and expect to continue to run into improvements with hereafter updates. Pro Cam puts more settings at your finger tips and reduces the need to go back and forth to the settings carte to adjust your camera settings. I detect myself using the native camera app less and less.

The Prototype Quality

Nokia Lumia 1020 Outdoor Photo Sample

And so how does this all translate to image quality?  Daytime however and video capture is... dare I say...en feugo.

Colors are well saturated, focus is prissy and sharp and the audio quality on video (now with stereo recording) is laudable.  Yous can become printable, shareable, quality photos and videos direct from the camera without the need for editing.  If y'all prefer to edit your photos, the Lumia 1020 gives you lot a solid foundation to build upon.

Nokia Lumia 1020 Outdoor Photograph Sample

Nokia Lumia 1020 Indoor Photo Sample

Nokia Lumia 1020 Night Photograph Sample

When the Nokia Lumia 920 hit the market place we were all very impressed with its low low-cal photography. The Lumia 1020 takes what the 920 had to offer and takes information technology to a new level. While the Lumia 1020 casts away the shadows, it leaves enough to give the paradigm contrast and a more natural feel.  The optical image stabilization did a good task of allowing you lot to shoot at shutters speeds in the neighborhood of i/15th of a second paw held with very piddling, if whatsoever, motion blur.

Nokia Lumia 1020 without flash (left) and with flash (right)

I have to acknowledge the Xenon Wink performed nicely. Information technology illuminated areas well and has a more reach than your typical LED light. I as well found the Xenon flash doesn't create the color casts that the LED is decumbent to generate. I still prefer natural lighting to flash photography but information technology'due south skilful to know that if I do demand a flash, the Lumia 1020 is superbly equipped.

Video quality is sharp, well lit, and the audio quality is equally appealing. Zooming in while shooting video doesn't jeopardize quality.

Whatever suggestions on camera settings to maximize image quality?  Not really.  I plant that the "car" settings did a rather slap-up task of things.  I did crash-land the shutter speed upward when chasing the butterflies, but otherwise I kept almost everything set to car.  It you cull to tinker with the settings, the blood-red warning light on Pro Cam's settings does a practiced chore of alerting when you need re-think any manual settings.

Where the rubber meets the road the Lumia 1020 delivers outstanding photo and video quality that very few will complain about. Every bit Dan mentions in his review, Nokia has delivered on the promise of being the best in mobile photography with the 1020.

Overall Impressions

In a nutshell, if you're looking for the Windows Phone with the best camera the Lumia 1020 wins hands down. The Lumia 1020 is strong enough to put some betoken and shoot cameras to shame. Combine the image quality of the camera and the capabilities of the Pro Cam software and you've got a formidable photographic duo.

The "zoom later" and video trimmer extends your Windows Telephone photographic editing tools and add the Creative Studio app from Nokia or any of the other quality photography apps out there (Fotor comes to mind) and you lot accept an attractive mobile photo studio in your manus.

There is room for improvement with regards to the camera and software but what's in identify reflects admirably on the efforts of Nokia's engineering and design squad. What's in place can easily be fine-tuned through software updates that volition only add together to the appeal of the Lumia 1020 and nosotros are confident that Nokia volition proceed to improve things. Granted I doubt anything can be done to shorten the focusing distance but with the "zoom later" characteristic, I don't retrieve the actress few inches volition matter.

In using the Lumia 1020 over the past few days, it is a very impressive Windows Phone. It's lighter than the Lumia 920 and while I had reservations on the camera hump, it actually makes the telephone more than comfortable to concord than the Lumia 920. The camera hump gives my fingers a contour in the Lumia 1020's backing to grip on to.

Photographic camera performance bated, the Lumia 1020 is a very appealing Windows Telephone. Add the camera into the mix and I don't know if you can become wrong.

The Nokia Lumia 1020 is currently an AT&T exclusive running $299 with contractual discounts and $700ish off contract.

Information technology'southward worth every penny.

More Pics...

Nokia Lumia 1020 High-Res Photo Sample

Same epitome merely Zoomed Later

Nokia Lumia 1020 Night Photo Sample

Nokia Lumia 1020 Outdoor Photo Sample

Nokia Lumia 1020 Zoom Later on Sample

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/nokia-lumia-1020-closer-look-41mp-pureview-cam

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